Von der Leyen: Brexit not the end of British ties

Incoming European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday that Brexit -- "should it happen" -- would be only the start of a new relationship between the UK and the EU, and "not the end".

In an implicit warning to Brexit supporters in the UK arguing for a so-called "clean break" departure from the European Union with no deal in place, she said the two sides would have to work to build up ties anew after the divorce.

And she gave a boost to Dublin in the Brexit tussle, appointing Ireland's Phil Hogan as trade commissioner -- putting him in charge of negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal with London, a move Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar hailed as "a definite advantage".

"Brexit, should it happen, is not the end of something but it's the beginning of our future relationship," von der Leyen said.

The German takes office at the helm of the EU's executive team on November 1 -- the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed to get Britain out of the bloc with or without a deal.

Von der Leyen said it was in the interests of both sides to reach an agreement but insisted the EU was fully prepared to cope with the impact if Britain crashes out without one.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier could yet see an extension to his mandate, which was supposed to have ended after the withdrawal agreement was struck with London, von der Leyen acknowledged.

Asked about Johnson being pressured by his parliament to ask for another extension to Brexit -- a third, to run until the end of January 2020 -- von der Leyen said that was entirely up to London.

"The next steps are completely in the hands and the decision of the United Kingdom. So I will not comment on their decisions and the next steps they might take," she said.

"So we'll see how things will proceed."